tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15583984676357570652024-03-12T21:52:13.205-04:00A Day at the Office...Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-83824584892393046042016-06-15T15:24:00.001-04:002016-06-15T15:25:42.605-04:00Day 7 - A day full of mercy and grace and blessings - once we stopped and looked for itDay 7 - We were headed from the Grand Tetons to San Francisco. I (despite Ryan's protesting - before we left home) that we couldn't do the 15 hour drive - it would just be too much. We only had one afternoon to spend in San Francisco so I wanted to be as close as possible. So, I picked Reno. I don't know why exactly but it was about the distance I wanted. We got up early - we had 749 miles to travel - approximately 11 hours and 49 minutes. Ryan and I got up at the crack of dawn and headed out. It was cold, cloudy and lots of snow on the ground. We had been driving about an hour - making pretty good time when we started noticing signs for warnings that we were headed for the Teton pass. We started seeing signs of a truck on an incline. As we progressed, we started seeing that it started giving grade percents. The final portion was a 10% grade up and a 10% grade down. My normal, go-with-the-flow, nothing-ruffles-his-feathers husband was sweating it! We were going 5 miles and hour. Then, it started snowing. It was absolutely crazy. But my rock star handled it like a pro!
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The landscape when we were leaving the campsite right outside the Grand Tetons.
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The view headed up the pass.
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When it finally leveled out before we began the descent down.
Well, about half an hour after catching our breath, we were headed into Idaho. All of a sudden, there was a loud crash and everything started bouncing around. Ryan pulled over on the side of the road and another car stopped up ahead of us. Two men got out of the car and came to see if we were alright. Apparently, unbeknownst to us, a large rock rolled off the mountain, bounced over the barrier and crushed our tow dolly tire. I mean crushed. At this point, we had only owned the crazy thing for a week! It never occurred to me to have a spare tire!
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It was 40 miles to the next town. So, forty-five minutes and 3 stores later, we were back in business with a new tire and rim. All in all, it added three extra hours into our already long day. We were so grateful that it hit where it did, though. And thankful that the people stopped to tell us what had happened and helped give us a name / direction of where to head. Did I mention it was pouring rain and a temperature of 38 degrees? As Ryan and Ian headed in search of a tire, the rest of us sat on the side of the road waiting. Oh, and we "thought" we had Good Sam - roadside assistance, where they would have brought us a tire and rim but come to find out, we only had the discount service package not roadside assistance.
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Did I mention that it was 38 degrees? We were turning into popsicles by the time the guys got back!
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I had told little man that as soon as we got back on the road, he could cut. We had barely pulled back onto the road when he got to cutting!
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Our 11 hour drive ended up taking 15 after all. We ended up getting to Reno at 11 pm. The manager there was so kind to us. We had reserved the last space in the whole RV park and he was afraid someone would come in and take our spot (which happens way more than I realized). He parked his car in our place to reserve it and then I called him when we were almost there. I told him our plans, that we were headed out, again, at the crack of dawn - trying to get to San Francisco before the day was wasted. He checked us in and out then. So, all in all, our 7 hour stay in Reno was a positive experience!
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Our view as we were setting up camp.
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Just to prove we really were there. Here's our 7 hour pit stop site! On to San Francisco...
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-18488088276357190882016-06-10T01:13:00.000-04:002016-06-10T01:22:20.511-04:00Day 6 - YellowstoneRejuvenated by the fact that we were finally going to be in the same place two nights (even at a questionable site), we hit the ground running. The forecast was calling for rain, rain and more rain. It was COLD! I had checked all the weather reports, so I was expecting the highs and lows but for some reason, it just seemed colder. I have to say that day, we didn't wear enough layers. Thankfully, it rained all the way on the drive and then it rained all the way back to the campsite. For the most part, we were dry the whole day. It was definitely something to add to our "blessings" list. We got to the park a bit later than I had hoped. Some of the time / mileage charts can be misleading. It really was 20 minutes to the entrance to the park - but then another 40 to park and explore.
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It was May, I just didn't expect there to be as much snow as there was. My little guy fussed the whole way up the mountain that I didn't bring his snow suit!
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Because it took longer than we expected to get to our destination, of course we had to make a pit stop. My boys wasted no time in taking an opportunity to pelt one another with snowballs. The bathrooms were interesting, a combination porta potty meets squatty potty. Either way, they were disgusting and made me very thankful, on more than one occasion, that my little guy was a fellow.
I had decided that rather than coming all the way back to the RV for lunch, that would be the meal we would eat out. I already had supper going in the crock pot, so one meal out would be ok. I had looked online to see our eating options. We decided we would go to a grill/cafe. I learned a lot that day. The first thing I learned was that the Asian population visit Yellowstone more than any other people group. We went into the grill and of course it was crowded and of course we had a million people with us. One man so sweetly motioned for us to sit with him (as he was eating his hamburger with chopsticks) and I would have loved to but he was at a table for four and there were 8 of us.... The other thing I noticed was that on several of the tables - there were boxes. They were the size of a box you would get at say Sam's Club to pack your groceries in. As we were wandering around looking for a table, we saw a lady pass us and she was carrying a box. It was FULL of french fries! Some ladies motioned to me to let me know they were getting up. There were three ladies sitting there and they had one of the boxes. Sure enough, there were about ten fries left in the box. We laughed about it almost the whole day. We have never seen fries sold by the box.
After lunch, we headed over to Old Faithful. We had about 30 minutes before it was scheduled to erupt. We took a walk around the perimeter. We saw huge amount of bison patties but not one bison. I was very disappointed. I didn't want to get up close and personal with one, but I did want to at least see one.
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This is one of the pits around Old Faithful. You could smell the sulfur. We were hoping to find a hot spring to take a dip in but we just didn't make it. It really does take a long time to do the parks, I underestimated how much. It would have been another hour to drive were there may or may not have been an accessible spring. It came with tons and tons of health warnings too. The girls were already more than a little skeptical.
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After circling the perimeter, we settled in to wait. We had a great, front-row view.
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My poor little fellow didn't make it to see the eruption. Owen ended up carrying him halfway around the park. When he woke up he said, "did I miss it?" Poor fellow. Luckily for him, Ryan recorded the whole thing so he could watch it over and over and he did! One day, I'm going to make a collage of all the places this guy has slept.
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Because we had limited time, I had scoped out online beforehand the "must see" things of each park. After seeing Old Faithful erupt, we decided to head to the Morning Glory Pool. It's a long walk! I had no idea that the "trails" of yellowstone would be a wooden-like pier and/or concrete. I didn't know it would be stroller friendly. I brought a stroller, it was just in the car. We were semi-rushing because we wanted to see it but we had other things we wanted to see too.
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About the time this guy was crossing our path (the only real, live animal we saw up close and personal - we saw a few bear cubs from the road.) we were questioning our decision to walk to the Morning Glory Pool. In the end, Ryan and Little Man were tired so they decided to head to the ice cream shop and wait for us there. The rest of us kept on booking, in search of a Morning Glory.
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Although the path was longer than expected, we saw some pretty cool sights along the way.
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We finally made it. I'm not sure we all agreed if it was worth it or not. I mean, it was pretty but we passed a couple on the way that should have been named "Morning Glory Jr." We stopped, we looked and then we hoofed it back to the road. We took a less scenic, more direct route this time. We made it back to the ice cream shop just in time. After looking around the gift shop a little we decided we were not going to keep venturing further into Yellowstone. We unanimously decided to give up our quest of finding a hot spring and head back to the RV. Thankfully, no bear had smelled our delicious supper, it was waiting for us upon our return. We had a great evening hanging out and watching Alexa and Ian do disgusting things playing the dumbest game ever, 1-10.
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So long, Yellowstone. Until next time...
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-36569999937498416152016-06-02T22:24:00.000-04:002016-06-02T22:25:12.884-04:00Day 5 - Here we go a traveling along...Day 5 - We're headed to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, 436 miles. This was the hardest RV park to reserve beforehand that was a full hookup. I ended up googling a site rather than getting a recommendation from my GoodSam book. A couple in South Dakota told us that a new park had opened in Yellowstone that had full hook ups - they had camped two days outside the park, waiting for it to open. We decided to take our chances with the one I had reserved. We pretty much decided it was definitely one on the bottom of the like list. First of all, the people weren't all that friendly and we were in the second part at the very back - way far away from the wifi. Everywhere I made reservations, I asked for a pull-through and to be near the bathroom/showers. This one had one but it was in a barn - complete with a sliding barn door, with no handle. This was also the first place we were stopping for two nights.
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Some of the scenery as we drove from South Dakota to Wyoming. My boys definitely thought it would be a great place to live - out in the wide open spaces. Alexa didn't think it would do at all and Emily thinks there is no place quite like calling NC home. All along we would see these extra sets of fences. They were so random. Someone took pictures but I haven't quite consolidated all of the pictures into one location yet. Anyway, these random fence panels - we were having dinner with friends that used to live in CA the other night and we started talking about these random fence panels and all random ideas we came up with. He told us it was a snow barrier - to keep the snow off the road. It made so much more sense than the suggestions we were coming up with.
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Even though overall, the site was pretty yucky - the view was amazing. This was the view facing our camper - the Grand Tetons.
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This was our set up. You can see the "bathroom" aka the barn - over to the left. It was freezing cold and dreary rain. One funny story - this was the first place I had set to do laundry. Ryan and I had driven up to the laundry facility to wash (that's how far in the back we were). We were sitting there waiting, when this man started banging on the back door - me being me, I screamed. Ryan went opened the door and the man told us he was parking his Harley on the other side of the door - for us to please not knock it over. A bit later, another man that had been riding with him, came in and said they had been driving all the way to the other side of Yellowstone but it had started snowing so hard that they closed the road. They had to turn around and drive the two hours back to the other entrance. By that time, they were frozen, out of gas and it was late. It was quite a story to hear all where they had travelled.
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Today was the day I had set aside for us to explore the Grand Tetons. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the camp and set up, the fog had descended. It was so amazing watching this huge mountain range just disappear. It was cold and rainy so we didn't do much exploring. We drove around and then went back to our barn.
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The kids humoring me as they took a trail ride across the prairie.
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This was the day little man decided Mitchell was his "best friend" and the best place for a best friend was on the shoulders of said best friend. The whole day, he was either on Mitchell's shoulders or holding his hand. Who needs a gym for a workout?
After we left Wall Drug, we ate a delicious meal of tacos on the way. Upon arriving at Mt. Rushmore, this was the first time Ryan started his driving abilities.
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The road leading up to Mt. Rushmore left Ryan sweating. We had to go 10 miles per hour and ole Betty was straining. But she made it like a champ!
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I'm not sure what I was expecting when we got to Mt. Rushmore, but it was what I expected. Last year, we went to see the Liberty Bell and I was dumbfounded by the fact that it was so small. It was cool to see Mt. Rushmore in person and to read the stories behind what the artist was thinking and why he chose the Presidents he did.
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This is what the artist envisioned Mt. Rushmore looking like. WWWII is the reason sited for not completing the statues - from the waist up as Gutzon Borglum had envision. Still, it was pretty impressive.
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Because, apparently, Thomas Jefferson was the inventor of ice cream, we had to get some in his honor. This was our first "outside treat" and it was very well received. In fact, the kids began looking for ice cream shops everywhere we went. Because of Emily's deep rooted love for ice cream, she had to get herself one of the t-shirts, giving Thomas Jefferson credit for his amazing invention.
After leaving Mt. Rushmore, we got back in the RV and headed to the Crazy Horse Monument. When completed, this will be the largest stone carving in the world. The carving was begun in 1948 and this is what it looks like:
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I didn't think to take a picture of what they wanted it to look like when completed. It will be Crazy Horse, an Oglala Lakota warrior, riding a horse and pointing in the distance. We were able to take a bus down to the bottom of the construction site. (You could take one to the top too [the construction site] but they were sold out for the day.)
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When we got to the bottom, the driver let us get out and gave us a mini-geology lesson. He said everyone could take "one" rock. Apparently, my little man realized his siblings were not taking care to gather their one rock so, he got one for everyone. He got back on that bus loaded down. The man was telling us all about the mica and I handed my guy a piece, it was glittering in the light - he took it, tore it in half and said "that ain't no rock". I guess he isn't quite ready for geology 101. Here is what the statue looked like from the bottom:
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Once our bus ride was over, we headed over to our campsite, finally. We got set up and had our dinner outside with a fire. So far, this has been our one and only campfire. We are still carrying around the second bundle of South Dakota firewood, we just haven't been able to use it yet.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bISrzTVViOo/V0-pUZ7KRiI/AAAAAAAAA1s/XXlFe03VJe8LZM8jeatt-hzzOzx0hOAuwCLcB/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bISrzTVViOo/V0-pUZ7KRiI/AAAAAAAAA1s/XXlFe03VJe8LZM8jeatt-hzzOzx0hOAuwCLcB/s320/10.jpg" /></a></div>Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-5539768118126996992016-05-27T00:40:00.000-04:002016-05-27T00:40:37.022-04:00Day 3 - The BadlandsDay 3 - We headed out of Waterloo, IA and got back on the road. Today, we were traveling 582 miles - approximately 8 hours and 31 minutes to Interior, South Dakota. It did take us a little longer than that, but nothing like yesterday! I was very particular about the campgrounds we staying in. The Good Sam book I ordered was huge and quite daunting but any one who knows me, knows I lived by the ratings. Anyway, at most National Parks, there is camping but it is dry camping - meaning no water and no hook up - sewer or electricity. As much as I love a good rating, I am totally sold out to having water and power. In some places, finding those "full hook up" sites were a challenge. The first two nights, we camped at KOA's, so everything was neat and orderly. Let's just say camp number 3 was quite a wake up. The people were very friendly, it was just a bit run down and there were no smoking rules. We came out of the shower smelling worse than when we went in. But, like every other site up until now, we just barely passed through. The Badlands were amazing. So far, it has been some of my kids very favorite. It was rough, rugged, beautiful, raw and untamed. As soon as we pulled in, the kids hopped in the van and headed over. They ran and explored until night fall. It was the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.
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Destination: Waterloo, Iowa, 8 hours 2 minutes, 544 miles.
The first couple days of our trip, we were just trying to majorly cover ground. Time wise, we were closer to our designated time, much closer than day one. Unlike the first day, we had time to get to the campground and unwind a bit - play on the playground, throw the football around and cook on our grill. All in all, it was a great day.
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Since the only time we stopped was to get gas, the kids started using those breaks to their advantage to get up and stretch.
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As the miles turned to hours, people found creative ways to catch a few zzzz's.
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Little man soon learned that dad was the candy source. When we would stop, Ryan would go into the store and little man would scream "bring 'us' back some candy!" This particular trip, Ryan brought some crazy sour candy. This is the face he made every single time - kept us entertained for at least 20 miles or so.
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Our campsite for the day. We were so glad to finally arrive!Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-33238923295147580562016-05-17T23:35:00.000-04:002016-05-17T23:35:54.925-04:00Launch DaySo, after list-making, packing, cooking and freezing food for a solid week, Sunday finally arrived! I had spent all of Saturday loading and reloading, trying to figure out my method to my madness. I "thought" I was in pretty good shape on Saturday night. Sunday morning came and (as usual) there were a few more loose ends to tie up and we ended up leaving two hours later that I had hoped. Let me tell you, traveling on Sunday (especially for the first day) is the way to go! We encountered absolutely no traffic, which was great - we were slow enough as it was. We were trucking along pretty well until we hit the mountains of West Virginia. I felt like we were in the "Little Engine that Could". It made it easily, it just was slow moving. Our scheduled 537 miles ended up taking 10 and a half hours! That was a rough first day. By the time we got to our campsite in Dayton, OH, we had an improvised supper of sandwiches and crashed. On day one we covered - NC, VA, WV, OH. Here are a few pictures from day one:
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Starting out, it was all fun and games - then the miles and miles and miles set in!
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The first thing I "cooked" while traveling down the road was Ryan a cup of coffee. He was a rock star and drove all 537 miles.
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Have you ever seen such cuteness? He is loving hanging out with the big kids as we roll down the road.
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-16943634985169237532016-05-17T00:38:00.000-04:002016-05-17T11:02:15.865-04:00And away we go.... After months of light planning and a full week of nothing but planning, we are off. I was going to start with the update of our trial run we did in March. The kids and I took "Betty White" (our RV's name - no, we are not Betty White fans - it's just that she's old and a little ruff around the edges, and white, obviously.) for a weekend trip to Asheboro. It went pretty well - our first camping experience in an RV, my first time driving and setting up. I was going to start that way but then moving my son home from college happened, my daughter's college graduation happened, prom happened and next thing I knew - it was time to go. The week before last was complete insanity for us. Last week, I spent listing and listing and more listing. I had already mapped out our trip but I was fine tuning it - planning our food and listing what we would need in each spot. Here are a few pictures of our "getting ready" process:(sorry there are no picture descriptions. Our wi-fi has been spotty - at best!)
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Yes, we are only going a couple of hours from home; yes, I've camped before but never in an RV and never (as an adult) without my other half. A couple of days ago, I was ready to call the whole thing off. It had bitten off more than I could chew. This afternoon, a friend came over and just walked me through the set up process. I knew a lot more than I had given myself credit for. It's amazing how having someone knowledgeable walk me through the process and answer my 10 million questions, can change a person's perspective. All of my dread and most of my anxieties are gone. It's going to be a great weekend once I get through this crazy, crazy checklist I've got going on! Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-17430109324296550612016-03-10T00:32:00.000-05:002016-03-10T00:32:07.292-05:00Hitting the Open RoadMy oldest daughter will be graduating college in 57 days. She tells me the countdown almost daily. My oldest son started college January of this year. A couple of months ago, I was just hit by how fast life was passing us by. I have five "kids". All are very active in completely different activities. As we were looking at the calendar and planning different events, I felt myself getting weepy for days gone by. As I began to look more and more closely at our calendar, I started throwing around the idea of a trip - a cross country trip. At first, I was met with some reluctance. I just felt this was a "now or never" kind of moment. So, I started researching different methods of getting us cross country. We have a traditional minivan that sits 8, not comfortably but there's that many seatbelts. We can barely move when we load down the vehicle for a week at the beach. I could not image 3 weeks and/or 5,000 miles. I started looking into renting RV's. Man, oh man, they are expensive to rent! I started researching 5th wheels. Their price is much more managable and you don't have to worry about a motor. The problem is, we'd still be cramped in our minivan and had limited towing capabilities. So, I turned to my last alternative, that could be craigslist. I found an older motorhome with very low milage, located in Kinston. We contacted the man, decided on a day, drove the hour and a half to take a look. Immediately, I was in love. My dear one was not quite as confident. After more searching and a thousand calls later, we bought the RV. Now that it is sitting in my driveway, I am at a complete loss as to what to do with it. I have watched hours upon hours of YouTube videos. I have read manual after manual (who knew every part of an RV had its own manual?). The kids and I are taking it out for a spin for the first time this weekend. I'd be lying if I said I were not scared silly. Every other page of the the 10,000 owner's manual says !!WARNING!! I called to make our reservation for the weekend. Me: "Hello, I'd like to make a reservation" Man: "Sure, what kind of RV are you driving?" Me: "Umm, do you mean the brand, or the voltage?" Man: "Voltage will work, how long is it" I give him the information, including the fact that this is my first RV experience, ever. Man: "How well do you drive? Can you back up?" Me: "Nope, and I'm a terrible driver" Man: "What time will you be arriving" Me "About 8:00 pm" Man: "So let me get this straight, it's your first time RVing, you cannot back up, are a terrible driver and you are arriving to set up in the DARK?" Me: "Yes sir" Man: "Well, if that's the way you want to do it, you sound like my kind of girl". I'm not exactly sure what he meant by that and I'm pretty sure it wasn't a compliment. I mean, seriously, how hard can it be? Here's to a great weekend!Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-81218444938897249242014-08-22T00:33:00.001-04:002014-08-22T00:33:32.029-04:00How'd I get here?I'm a homeschooling mama. I have been for the past 16 years. No matter how you look at it, homeschooling is part of my job description, part of what makes me me, engrained in our family. A couple of weeks ago, I attended my homeschool support group's annual "Informational" meeting. I'm not new to homeschooling, I don't need much information but I love this meeting. It is my favorite throughout the whole year. Until recently, I couldn't tell you why it's my favorite. This year, I was torn all day "should I go, should I stay home". At the last minute, I decided to go. During the meeting, which was full of people I had never seen before, came the tell-tale part where everyone had to stand up. With each statement a group of people sat down. At the end, it was the people who had homeschooled at least 15 years and had graduated at least one student that were left standing. There were just a handful of us. As I looked around the room, I thought "oh, there are my friends, there are the people I know, there are the people I have been living life with the past 16 years." A friend that was beside me leaned over and asked "how did we get here". My first, initial response was "I have no idea." As I mulled over it some, my answer changed. I got here one hour, one day, one week, one month, one year, one prayer at a time. Suddenly, I saw my twenty something self in the eager parents sitting around me. The ones that were ready to take the challenge of educating their children by the horns, eager to spend 24/7 with their children, eager to take on the role of both parent and teacher. I tell people all the time (anyone who will listen) homeschooling is not a race, it is a marathon. In a race, you have your sights set on the end, you go as fast as you can, keeping your eyes always on the prize. In a marathon, you have to pace yourself, you have to be diligent in perseverance, you have to keep running even though you don't remember why you even started, even though you get tired, even though you sometimes really wanted to quit. Then, suddenly, the end approaches and you think, "wow, that wasn't too bad". (I don't really know, I've never run a race or marathon but that's how my imagination plays it out.) Suddenly, you're not in a race anymore but standing in a room of 60+ people thinking "don't look I me, I have no idea what I'm doing!" But I do, I just tell myself I don't. I envy those that as soon as their little ones are born they look into their sweet baby faces and say "oh, I know I will homeschool you everyday of you life and never dream about how green the grass is on the other side of that school bus" That was SO not me, it still isn't me. In fact, when I first began homeschooling those 16 years ago, our friends were afraid we had joined an occult or I had been brain washed. One sweet, sweet friend, a mentor from my teaching days commented early on in our homeschooling adventure "what will you do when she reaches middle school, your degree is only K-6?" After a pause, my response was "I guess pray for the rapture." Four of my five children are either past middle school or currently in middle school and we've survived. Dare I say thrived. Every year, I have to re-evaluate. Every year I have to pray, heavily. Every.single.year. 16 years and counting. So, how did I get here? Only by the grace of God. I'm so very thankful. Now, looking back with one graduate, one senior, and three more to go, I realize that marathon is so, so fast. A lifetime is not nearly long enough. Now, if I can only remind myself of that tomorrow when everyone is awake and whining/complaining about how much school they have to do!Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-35866079135290410712014-08-16T22:09:00.001-04:002014-08-16T22:11:17.847-04:00Where I stand on the Ice Bucket ChallengeI know it's been a while. Lately, however, I have found myself with things to say and no one to say them to. I mean, I have people who will "listen" but you know - I think I like the idea of blogging better than the idea of just talking to myself.
Anyway, I've (as I'm sure you have been) watching 1,000 (ok - maybe 100s) of friends and family dump cups, pails, buckets, containers of ice/cold/lukewarm/bath water. (I don't really know the temperature - I'm just guessing from the reactions.) I knew it was coming, we don't live under a rock, after all. I knew that someone was going to announce they had been challenged. That day came today. I will admit that I was guilty of reading a couple of articles on people's opinions but didn't go to the source. I told the kids that I wanted more information, they had already looked it up - on the www.alsa.org website. First of all, I was impressed. Second of all, I realized that I am fundamentally an anti-bandwagon kind of person, a negative Nellie, a kill-joy (I think you get my meaning.) Here are some facts cut and pasted from the alsa website:
<i>Between July 29 and today, August 12, The ALS Association and its 38 chapters have received an astonishing $4 million in donations compared to $1.12 million during the same time period last year. The ALS Association is incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from those people who have been doused, made a donation, or both. Contributions further The Association’s mission to find a cure for ALS while funding the highest quality of care for people living with the disease.
"We have never seen anything like this in the history of the disease,” said Barbara Newhouse, President and CEO of The ALS Association. “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the level of compassion, generosity and sense of humor that people are exhibiting as they take part in this impactful viral initiative." </i>
Here's more:
<i>With only about half of the general public knowledgeable about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the Ice Bucket Challenge is making a profound difference. Since July 29, The Association has welcomed more than 70,000 new donors to the cause.
"While the monetary donations are absolutely incredible,” said Newhouse, “the visibility that this disease is getting as a result of the challenge is truly invaluable. People who have never before heard of ALS are now engaged in the fight to find treatments and a cure for ALS."</i>
Pretty incredible, isn't it. It just made me realize how often I let other's viewpoints shape my point of view. I have told my kids all their lives "don't let others decide for you - go to the source and get <b>TRUTH</b>! Seems like I needed a reminder of that wise advice.
I also realized that if my kids wanted to dump a bucket of cold water on their heads, just for the fun of it, so what? If my kids want to dump ice cold water on their heads and learn a valuable lesson about a disease people are suffering from, even better. If my kids want to show they can research, go to the source, make their own decision, priceless.
For what it's worth, we had a great family night and it all began by one kid deciding to dump some ice cold water on her head. Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-61546666844821739212013-04-11T01:10:00.000-04:002013-04-11T01:10:59.662-04:00Changing the WorldA couple of weeks ago I was in TJ Maxx - just looking around. I was looking in the girl's section and I pulled out a shirt that had a picture of a kid and it said in large letters "I'm Gonna Change the World". My girl has somewhat eclectic taste in clothes and I was honestly trying to decide if she would like it. My biggest hesitation was that it was not pink. Anyway, this lady beside me - she was probably mid-50s - said "I despise shirts like that." Me, quite perplexed reply "yes, I try to be very conscientious of the wording on clothing - some of it can be quite rude. I don't really find this one offensive." The lady gives me a glare and humpfs turns her head and says "you must be one of THOSE moms" and walks away. I very much wanted to chase her down and give my side of the story. If she assumes I am one of those moms that enjoys seeing her children succeed - she would be correct. If she assumed I were one of those parents that be sure my kid wins at any cost - would be sadly mistaken. I do believe each of my children have the ability to change the world - that's how I have raised them. I don't necessarily mean for them to end world hunger or achieve world peace but I do mean for them to have an impact on the world and those around them for the cause of Christ. Each time they share their testimony, each time they do a kind deed in His name, each time they choose to be set apart - they are changing the world. By this time, I had wandered away from the rack - I marched my little 'ole self over and was going to get that shirt - pink or not and I was going find that lady and explain why yes, apparently, I am one of "THOSE" moms! Unfortunately, not only was the shirt the wrong color - it was also the wrong size. And apparently, lots of other people weren't offended by it because it was the only one. So I guess my girl will have to change the world without broadcasting it to others! :)Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-56356203528059492282013-03-26T01:25:00.003-04:002013-03-26T01:25:37.008-04:00The ending of an eraTonight I made the final decision to end our involvement in our beloved co-op. We are finishing out the year, of course, but will not be returning next year. While part of me is relieved, part of me is incredibly sad. Six years ago, another mom and myself hatched a plan at our annual homeschool conference. We decided our upcoming high schoolers needed a bit more - more social interaction, more peer interaction, more accountability. As it turned out, several other people shared our conviction. For four years, we came together every Friday to learn geography, history, Bible and Literature. It was hard but it was fabulous. It met a great need for all four of my children. It was our circle, it was our constant. Then came graduation. Along with losing our oldest group - many cornerstone families moved away (or were in the process of moving away). Things shifted, my second born became my oldest student, a student very different from my first student. For the first time in six years, the benefit doesn't outweigh cost - not for my remaining three children. And it makes me incredibly sad. After the meeting tonight, I decided to do something "fun" tomorrow. This week is our half spring break. We took half a few weeks ago when Emily was home and we are taking the other half this week. I have just realized that school is not nearly as fun for my younger two as it was for my older two. Not that they would tell you it was fun, per se, but I was forever coming up with something to throw a change into the mix. I haven't done that in I cannot remember when. Somewhere along the way, just keeping up got hard. My once spotless house got filled with junk, clutter. I became a slave to my schedule, my calendar. I got tired. On top of that, I followed the testing schedule I have kept for the past several years and I have tests coming out my ears this week. While I am grateful to have the appointments and the extra income, I am overwhelmed and it is like trying to "schedule fun". The two words just don't go together. However, this evening, I was determined. As soon as my tests were over tomorrow, we were going to do something fabulous. I had a few thoughts running through my mind. I looked around at a few Pinterest ides, I looked up Family fun. Then, I remembered my two tests, then I remembered someone has guitar, then a remembered someone has drama, then I remember I was supposed to go pick up a pair of pants in Smithfield. Then, I just gave up. Fun is overrated. Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-50535446225122322032013-03-12T22:03:00.001-04:002013-03-12T22:16:00.101-04:00A new experienceSo, Owen had been looking forward to going to the DMV today all year. I'm just going to be honest, I have LOTS of issues- taking a child to the DMV to get their license is one of them. I am pretty sure you almost have to be a spawn of Satan to work at our local branch. (Hopefully, they are all really nice people and just put on their mad, angry, mean faces at work.) We go to that branch for permits, id cards, etc but NOT for driver's license. This mama bear does not appreciate mean without just cause. So, hubby was on DMV detail with oldest daughter, it worked so well we thought we would attempt a repeat performance today with child #2. Well, first of all, it's tax season and my dear hubby is a CPA - problem #1. Second of all, when they got there at 8:00 am this morning - there was already a very long line. After waiting a half hour or so, the man told the line that they were having computer issues and there would be a considerable wait. Well, due to problem #1, I got called on the scene. I arrived only to discover that the entire building had lost power. You could be locked in and stay to wait, or you could leave and come back another time. We decided to stick it out. After about an hour, the power came back on. Due to so many people leaving, we were about the 5th person to be called. We go over and tell the lady what we need - she goes and gives our ticket to another lady that I am pretty sure was transferred from our local office. She ignores the lady trying to hand her our ticket. She begins to mumble something about "it's not her turn", "it's raining outside" etc. The woman points out that we are standing next to her. My child's eyes are as big as saucers. She begrudgingly takes his information and stomps over to get on a rain slicker. She asks if our information is still current. She leans over the table and says "When I give a direction or instruction, you do it. This is how it works." Owen responded with very quickly with a "yes ma'am". I am trying to be patient, I am trying to be kind, I am trying to hold my tongue. All the while reflecting on exactly why I don't do the DMV! They were gone about 10 minutes. They come back in, she asks for his driving log and very quietly says "he passed". I wish I had a video of the relief on Owen's face and the large intake of air. She said "normally the people I take out in the rain fail - so many that I think we shouldn't even do them in the rain." With a shaking hand, Owen signed his form, paid his money, got his picture made and we got out of dodge. I have no idea of the new policies and procedures regarding his new "provisional license". I figure that's why they have the internet or I'll take my chances and call one day to get the information- hopefully, on a day they haven't spent half of it in the dark! I am thankful there is a four year break before the possibility of having to do THAT again!Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-69424066419525635522013-03-12T01:43:00.000-04:002013-03-12T02:04:02.906-04:00Happy Birthday, Owen!My oldest son is turning 16 today. I can remember the blur of bringing him home from the hospital. He was born March 12 (obviously Ryan and I didn't plan that real well). Ryan brought us home from the hospital and then we saw him again a month later. Owen and I bonded during those late nights together. I have said since his birth that God gave us Owen to prove that we weren't good parents. Parenting Owen has been an adventure since the get-go; an adventure I wouldn't trade for all the tea in China. The other kids tease that he is my favorite child. And like I tell them, he is - my very favorite second-born, oldest son. Don't tell the other kids, but it is true. He is one of my very favorite people on the planet. Owen is what they call a square peg. He is never going to fit into a round mold. He has is own way of doing things. When he was younger, that nearly drove me to insanity. Now, (most of the time) it is one of the things I love most about him. When he was younger, I was forever telling him to "use his own brain" now - sometimes, he uses his own brain a little too well. When he was younger, I would tell him "please use some self-control". Now, he is a self-disciplined young man that often has many irons in the fire and often comes out the champ on top. If I said I were not struggling with the fact of him growing up - I would be telling a lie. I have already had one fly the coop. I have discovered that once the driver's license is obtained - it is like hyper drive to graduation. However, as sad as I am to see him growing and preparing to leave my house - I have confidence that he has the tools he needs to succeed in life. He has a hard work ethic (outside of the house), he is kind, smart and intelligent and he has the saving knowledge of Christ. I know that whatever path God puts him on, he will become a great man. I love you, buddy!
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-61497566956550295452013-03-12T00:48:00.000-04:002013-03-12T00:48:24.767-04:00Nearly a yearTo say I have been in a blog funk would be quite the understatement. Several times in the past month, I would think "maybe I could blog about that" but I never did. My blog doesn't really have a plan / a purpose. I LOVE reading blogs; adoption blogs, missionary blogs, cooking blogs, marriage blogs. However, they all seem to have a purpose. Lately life has been overwhelming. I don't want my blog to be a place to vent (aka whine) about my frustrations. And lately, so it seems, would be what I have to share. Yet, I don't want to delete the blog so I must think eventually I'll have something useful to say, right? Maybe. I have decided that I'm just going to attempt it again. No labels, no pressure, no setting out to save the world with my <strike>knowledge</strike> opinions. We'll see how it goes - maybe if I prove myself, I'll get 5 followers instead of 4! ;)Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-75238410266207315512012-05-10T11:12:00.001-04:002012-05-10T11:12:27.244-04:00Doers of the WordI have been doing a private study on the book of James. I love James; this book has often been a source of comfort and blessing over the course of my life. Recently, I began Beth Moore's study of James. A lesson this week has really been rolling around in my head and heart. The part of the lesson that really struck me is based on James 1:22 - 25: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works - this person will be blessed in what he does."
The general gist is this: Sunday after Sunday, our church is packed. Yet, statistically, only a small number of those people strive to live out and apply what they have learned. Beth Moore says "the tricky part is that hearing all by itself really does lend a certain satisfaction." How many times do we leave convicted by the words we heard on Sunday? How many times do we forget about it until we are there again the next Sunday? That is forgetting what we look like. 'God's word is meant to do more than penetrate - it's meant to activate. It's not until the hearing turns into doing that believing leads to blessing.'
Several times in the past couple of weeks, I have been confronted and/or told of Christian teenagers making terrible decisions. These are teenagers with Christian parents, teens that are very involved in the youth group, come to church and Sunday School week after week. These are the "good" kids. Then, after studying this lesson it dawns on me that they are simply hearers of the word and not yet doers of the word. It is an easy trap to fall into. We all start out with the best of intentions then other commitments, laziness, disobedience and sometimes just plain ole' stubbornness stop us from the doing part. Listening, for most people, is easy - the doing is hard. It requires effort, it requires sacrifice, it requires discipline. Yet, without it, we only have head knowledge - no heart knowledge.
When our hearts are changed, we are forever altered. We are still going to make mistakes, we are still going to make some bad choices but I want to be constantly reminded of my true identity 'I want to be who I was created to be: a bearer of the very image of God.'Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-48518317240567471532012-04-24T01:33:00.001-04:002012-04-24T01:42:58.384-04:00My Highly Sensitive ChildI have one of those. I actually almost have two of those but one fits all of the requirements. It started EARLY in life! So early that I remember vividly going to the outlet in Smithfield when she was about 2 and a half and after nearly all day, we had gone to every store there and at the LAST store (Tommy Hilfiger - no less) she found 1 pair of pants she could/would wear. I called Ryan on the phone and he told me he didn't care how much they cost, to get every color they had. She wore three pair of pants that year - a red pair, a pink pair and a black pair - all velour with satin lining inside. I knew then that this was more than a control issue. I immediately searched on line for extreme sensitivities and sure enough, I found a book (which is yellow and dog-eared from years of referencing) "The Highly Sensitive Child" by Elaine Aron. When answering the questionnaire at the beginning of the book, I had to answer yes to 18 of the 23 "diagnostic" questions. The questions I was able to answer no to were about being quiet and shy, definitely no problem there! Anyway, after years and years of compromise, I am happy to say that she will now fix her hair, wear tennis shoes with socks (still not any old pair of socks, but still socks), wear jeans, try most texture of foods, etc. However, emotionally she is still EXTREMELY sensitive. It is one of her most endearing qualities, yet as her mother, I see the toll it takes on her. There is a young man missing from our community tonight. He went out for a jog this morning and didn't return home. There were people gathering to help look for him. While we don't know him personally, he plays on the same football organization my boy's do. Anyway, he was a strong, young 16 year old boy out for a run in daylight and didn't come home. That messes with every sense of security my girl has set up for herself. It challenges her sense of security, her sense of justice, her sense of well-being. At the same time, we have dear friends that are having trouble with safely in their living situation. Another girl on the internet that was reportedly taken from her room in the middle of the night. Another dear family on the brink of divorce. My girl sees corruption and selfishness and "badness" (as she calls it) ruling the world. Tonight as I was holding her as she was praying / sobbing her heart out, she confessed that sometimes she just gets so sick of this world, that she just cannot wait to die (please hear me that she is NOT suicidal). Her little heart breaks over how much sin is in the world, how much our sinful actions must hurt Christ. It reminds me of the song "Hosanna" by Hillsong that says:
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity
Her hurt breaks for what breaks His. In all her sensitivity issues God has given her the gift of Empathy. How she uses it for His glory and how He develops her many gifts still remains to be seen. Yet, I know there is definitely work in progress. I am thankful that I listened to my small inner mama voice and knew her sensitivity issues were not the norm. I am thankful that I had the wisdom to guide and correct in a way that allowed her to feel safe and free to be herself yet still make progress (in wearing hair bows, shoes, socks, jeans, etc.)
Tonight, after a while, she got her emotions back under control and one brother came and offered a box of tissues, the other brother came and offered to switch beds so that she could sleep in his in order to stay in the room with them tonight if she wanted. That's what love looks like. Even though they don't react or sorrow at her same level, they want to reach out and comfort her, soothe her, protect her. Tomorrow she will still be sad and she will still be anxious until an end is resolved and she will continue to pray and pour out her heart to Him. And I am perfectly okay with that.Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-34114790130774652062012-04-22T00:12:00.001-04:002012-04-22T00:40:49.901-04:00Parenting through the decadesOkay, so I lost momentum with my house story. I love that story, it's one of my favorites. I had envisioned 4 nice little posts, only days apart with pictures to back up my "story". However, my craft room is a total mess and I couldn't get to the very first picture I wanted so I did what every perfectionist does, I procrastinated, and then procrastinated some more until I lost my ummph to tell the story. Maybe next year, maybe next week, who really knows....
Anyway, I decided it was time to get back in the saddle (so to speak) and we're moving on.
This week has been a weird week. Ryan has been off all week (which was great) but "normally" we go away for a couple of days. "Normally" I save up our spring break for this week. This year was a little different. We took a partial spring break early March when Emily was home and then we took the other half the week before Easter. Everyone's activities and classes were still going on - we had gotten so far behind in just normal house maintenance that we decided a stay cation would be best. Believe me, the time was filled!
Ian's Sunday School class had planned a campout for this weekend so all of my boys went. The girls and I had a good, fun girl's night Friday night. We went out to dinner, watched a movie and stayed up laughing and talking together until 1:00 am!
I was telling Emily that on Thursday, Alexa got "caught" (she was doing it in plain sight - not trying to hide her 'helping' tool.) using Google translate to "help" finish the sentences in her Latin assignment. She explained that she didn't see much difference than using dictionary.com. How I noticed what she was doing was because Ian was "waiting" in line for the laptop. He wanted to google the place they were going camping to see how close the lake was to where they were going to sleep. Emily started laughing at how different technologically my younger two kids are than my older two. She would have never thought, nor knew how, to use Google translate. Owen didn't use/search the internet until middle school. (Just to put a disclaimer here - we have the necessary parental codes/filters on our computers to protect our children - they don't just 'wander' the internet.) From that conversation, I started thinking about television. I despise television. My children know this about me and love me in spite of it! When my older two were 'growing' up, we didn't have cable. We didn't have cable until about 5 years ago. Last night for our girl's night movie, Alexa downloaded a Netflix movie for us to watch. It just amazes me; sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. During school hours, the television, gaming systems, computers (unless for school purposes) are not allowed without permission. They find other ways to fill their time, and they are very good at it. But come the weekend, an electronic device is almost always their first choice for their downtime. Then, after a while, with little to no prompting from me, most of them will go in search of something else to do - crafts, go outside, jump on the trampoline, just run and play and be crazy kids. There are 9 years between my oldest and my youngest. There will be nine years (or more) between my youngest and our addition. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and fearful of all the new "challenges" electronics may bring in the next decade. Then, I look out and see my younger two 'techno' kids running outside or playing some detailed imaginary game - just like my older two used to do - and I think - It'll be okay. We'll roll when we need to roll and unplug when we need to unplug.Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-81118754725237407132012-03-03T23:54:00.004-05:002012-03-04T00:19:00.690-05:00"House Day" - March 3rd - The journey - Part 1I know it is crazy that I know exactly what day we closed on our house. This is the third house we have owned but the only one I can tell you the exact date. I can tell you the month and the year with the others but not the exact date. Our first house, we knew that was the house for us. We had been searching for months and when the realtor called and said a house had just come on the market she thought we would love I went over to meet her alone. Emily was sick and the weather was yucky, the house was only about 4 miles from the house we were currently renting. I met her and fell in love. I went back home and Ryan went to meet the realtor so he could see. We had an appointment the next day to make an offer. The house had only been on the market 3 days and we only had $500 earnest money for a deposit. The realtor was skeptical as to whether or not our offer would be accepted. It turns out that the lady of the house, knew me from school. I was a Kindergarten teacher at the local elementary school at the time. She had just pulled her 5 kids out of our school to homeschool them. I thought she was crazy - 1) to have 5 kids - 2) to want to HOMESCHOOL them when we had a perfectly wonderful neighborhood school. That was why they were selling the house - she felt she needed more room. It was just a small, three bedroom house. Much to our realtor's surprise, they not only accepted our offer but asked them to give us their phone number so that if we had any questions or needed any measurements, to please call. I took her up on that offer and we spent a lovely afternoon together. I remember it being the first time I was impressed that a person could have that many well-behaved children. They were kind and polite to me, to their mother, to each other ( unbeknownst to me that tinny-tiney little large homeschool family seed possibly taking root). I loved that house. The only thing I didn't love about it was that we were so far away from family. Ryan's job was also very demanding and he didn't see a lot of potential for growth there so after 2 1/2 years in the house we put it on the market. It was on a pretty busy road and because we hadn't owned it all that long and because we were moving to a more expensive town and because we had decided I was going to stay at home full time we decided to list the house for sale by owner. The sign had been in the yard a couple of hours when a couple stopped by. They were friends of friends from church and had been hearing that we were thinking of selling. They bought our house. One day, one showing. We were on to our next adventure...Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-15797458930522447462012-03-01T01:08:00.002-05:002012-03-01T01:35:52.313-05:00What's your platform?For the past several months, we have been reading inspirational true-life stories of young adults. These are ordinary young people living extra-ordinary lives for Christ. The first book we read was "Kisses from Katie". The story of Katie Davis who moved to Uganda for a year after high school. She is now the 22 year old mother of 13 living in Uganda. She did not spend her life preparing for her platform. She clung to His will for her day to day decisions. She shares very openly about how difficult some of those decisions were and the ramifications both good and bad of those decisions. We finished the book in record time and I went out searching for another. The next book I chose was Tim Tebow's "Through My Eyes". The boys got a laugh at how they had to explain some of the more technical aspects of football to us "females" and how I butchered some of their names. However, as with "Kisses from Katie" the questions we began to ask ourselves and each other were often about evaluating our own lives to see if our "platforms" had eternal significance and if they didn't how could we change it , if it did, how could we do better. One night, Ian decided that we all needed to go around the room and announce our platform and tell one way we had used it for Christ. A couple of night later, he made us do it again and this time we had to name a different platform. Obviously, Tim Tebow has spent a lot of time preparing for his platform and knew at a very early age what he was called to do. Still, he was able to walk us through some of those difficult decisions he had to make and share with us the outcome. It took us a little longer to plow through the Tebow book because his chapters were longer, we had to stop to explain things more and it was over Christmas break so things were a little more hectic. After Christmas, I went on the hunt again. This time, I came home with Bethany Hamilton's "Soul Surfer". This book was a little different because we had all seen the movie. However, hearing things from her perspective as a 13 year old girl has been very intriguing. Yesterday, we were talking about her "platform" and how her platform got a louder voice as a result of tragedy. Like Tebow, she had been preparing all her life to become the best in her sport and was making great strides. Then, that fateful Halloween day, everything changed. Platforms take all shapes and sizes. We have learned that just from asking one another how it is going, giving one another encouragement and accountability. Our pastor has been saying recently that "For anything to be dynamic, it has to be specific." I truly believe that. I believe that we have to be specific in looking for ways to share the gospel. I will be the first to admit, I am good with using actions, terrible using my words. When we go into Target or Wal-Mart or the grocery store, I often engage the clerk in conversation. It drives my kid's crazy. It also drives them crazy that the cashiers remember me and whatever we talked about last time and the kid's think it is crazy that these people all over town know random things about us. That's my platform. It may not be glamorous and I surely didn't pick it, but it is. So I ask, "what is your platform and how are you being specific?"Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-7654630635765179052012-02-21T14:56:00.003-05:002012-02-21T15:17:03.222-05:00It's all in the perspective...Recently, a friend of mine challenged us (Ryan and myself) on the wisdom in "letting" Emily attend East Carolina. This is a friend that has always been very vocal about the importance of her kids "being light" and therefore attending public school. However, now that her oldest is about to graduate high school, they are looking at a small, conservative Christian college. Let me just say, I am not one of those people who believe there is ONE educational style that fits every child nor every family. The thing that struck me after this conversation is the fact that whatever they feel they are doing is the right thing so therefore, what I am doing must be wrong. I know that homeschooling Emily, specifically since she is the topic of conversation here, was the right thing to do. I felt that through years of dialogue, communication, spiritual, mental and emotional growth fueled her a light that refuses to be dimmed. That is what we prepared her for. We purposefully put her in trying situations, we purposefully looked for ways to stretch her, to grow her and we were there beside her the whole time dialoguing, communicating, working through the processes it took to persevere. She knew it, I knew it, our family knew it. Even when the debate came up as to which college she should attend and descriptions like "liberal" or "party" came up, she informed us "this is what you have been preparing me for" and she is RIGHT! Our intention was never to isolate but to insulate. To be prepared to face a lost and dying world with the hope of Christ. Here is the other catch though, the things/ways we pushed her, the situations we put her in, the ways we looked to stretch her are very different than the ways we will to those siblings younger than her, yet the goal is still the same. To send them out of our nest, out of our home, equipped with the tools to stand firmly, solidly for Christ no matter the circumstances, no matter where/what they do after high school. I would never say we have arrived. I know that Satan is real and loves nothing more than to tempt us with sin, pulling us further and further from truth. However, what I will say is that I am thankful that we have had 18 years to charge the battery that is shining very brightly on the campus of East Carolina University.Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-69413355833150011942012-01-12T23:13:00.006-05:002012-01-12T23:47:37.871-05:00My new motto "Let Go and Let God..."<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iil65T9LaZ0/Tw-v0ssR_uI/AAAAAAAAAeo/qZhwuSs-SQs/s1600/IMG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iil65T9LaZ0/Tw-v0ssR_uI/AAAAAAAAAeo/qZhwuSs-SQs/s400/IMG.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696965373531913954" /></a><br /><br />This is what Owen looked like when he had just transferred to North Raleigh Gymnastics. He was 7. He had been taking gym at a local place when the owner told us Owen had too much potential to stay at his girl's focused gym. He actually called around and set up a time for Owen to be evaluated. We went but then sort of hemmed and hawed at signing him up. They wanted him on TEAM. This was a big, expensive, time-consuming commitment. I was just unsure. After a couple of months of him living on the trampoline, flipping on and off our couch, chairs, etc, we decided he needed it. Well, 7 years later here we are:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sl_MUaj8lqU/Tw-w4nMvvoI/AAAAAAAAAe0/jRkz6xeSMu0/s1600/IMG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sl_MUaj8lqU/Tw-w4nMvvoI/AAAAAAAAAe0/jRkz6xeSMu0/s400/IMG.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696966540288573058" /></a><br /><br /><br />In the middle of the season last year, Owen hurt his shoulder on rings. After 8 months his coach decided maybe we should go have it checked out. An MRI and 1,000 hours of PT later, we discovered that he has a partially torn rotator cuff. I have been fortunate enough that my kids have been healthy. Orthopedist appointments and physical therapy appointments several times a week created havoc on our schedule as well as our checkbook. We were so uncertain what to do. The fact of the matter is Owen is a gymnast. It is part of his make-up, it is part of his identity.<br /><br />He wasn't ready to give it up. I wasn't ready for him to give it up. I didn't feel as though God was ready for him to give it up. He wasn't done. So, we had him lay out of the first meet. Saturday(Jan 14) is the second meet. We are going. I am extremely nervous about it - not just for his shoulder. I am nervous because of fear. Fear of doing the wrong thing (about letting him compete), fear of him not doing well and being disappointed in himself, just fear of unsettledness. In all that fear I hear a small voice saying "Let Go and Let God". I know it, my brain knows it but my heart, my pride, my love for Owen tries to scream over that quiet voice. So, if you think of us bright and early this Saturday morning - just lift us up because I have a feeling I'm going to need it!Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1558398467635757065.post-38489853510758502532012-01-06T15:19:00.003-05:002012-01-06T15:50:36.317-05:00Second time is the charm? NOTI have probably posted a million things about expectations and control. Admittedly, I have issues with both. I like to know what to expect. Unfortunately, I am not a good listener so even if someone explains to me what to expect, I am still a <em>little</em> over the top. Okay, sometimes a lot over the top. But I have learned from experience that just because someone had one experience, doesn't mean it is going to go that way for me. I think most of us would admit that, should we be honest with ourselves. For example, take childbirth. You can line 50 women up and you would have 50 different stories. Even within my four, each has a different story - yet, after the first I knew what to <em>expect</em>. Adoption follows the same line. We know lots of people that have adopted, probably more than the average because I just sort of gravitate to it. Yet, every adoption story is different. Due to circumstances beyond our control, most of our original paperwork are reaching their expiration dates. Some, like physicals, we just have to keep redoing, redoing, redoing. But others, like fingerprints, homestudy, etc, are a little more involved in updating. In addition to all the updates, our oldest child is technically no longer a child and we have to refile our information with another adult in our household. We started out by (re)going to the courthouse for background checks. The first time we got all our stuff together - took the whole family - afterwards we went out to lunch, made a day of it. This time, we squeezed it in "on the way" to someplace else. 1st - Lady at court "Do you want me to file/send that for you?" Me (thinking to myself - you might not do something correctly and then there will be a delay) "no, thank you" 2nd time - lady asked the same question - I still said no but I had to think about it long and hard! The next place was to Homeland Security - 1st time we were so nervous and excited - all the way there we talked about names, room possibilities, etc. 2nd - again, on our way to someplace else. We literally had to take 4 cars! No romanticising for us! The last thing we had to do/update before Emily goes back to school was our homestudy update. The first time I nearly gave myself an ulcer. I am sure I repainted something. We made her lunch, the kids were lined up "Sound of Music" style, not even going to talk about how clean my house was - I am pretty sure even my attic was straight and well labeled. 2nd time - in my defense, it was the week after Christmas. Let's just say, I wasn't nearly as prepared. I don't even think we offered the poor woman anything to drink. The social worker asked me what we thought about the wait. I told her honestly that I try not to think about it. Some people give the number a special ring, some make it come only to a certain phone, I would probably think it was a telemarketer when they finally call us. All of this brings me back to my second issue of control. I cannot control any of it. I cannot control the how, the where, the when. I just hope and pray I don't have to let you know how I respond the 3rd time around! First time was passionate, second time was indifference, any wagers on the emotion of the third? :)Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00796579158305967973noreply@blogger.com0